Holder for toothpicks or other sticklike devices.



T. & G. M. BARTHOLOMEW. HOLDER FOR TOOTHPIOKS OR OTHER STIOKLIKE DEVICES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1913.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

10 6 f g1/pvwtod/ l'fiamasflartilolomew M UassiusM Bart/1,02 amew THOMAS BARTHOLOMEW AND CASSIUS M. BARTHOLOMEW, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

HOLDER FOR TOOTHPICKS OR. OTHER STICKLIKE DEVICES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

Application filed September 22, 1913. Serial No. 791,024.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, THoMAs BARTHOLO- new and CASSIUS M. BARTI-IOLOMEW, citi- Zens of the United States, residing at C0- lumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Holders for Toothpicks or other Sticklike Devices, of which the followin is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved device for permitting the taking of a single tooth pick, match or other stick-like object from a collection of them in a receptacle.

The invention is especially designed to simplify the operation of taking the article so that it may be performed with a single hand and the invention is especially adapted for use in restaurants, hotels, cigar stands and places where numerous persons congregate and use the articles.

The invention is embodied in the construction herein particularly shown and described and then pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a vertical section'on the line m-w Fig. 2, with parts in full. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line y--y Fig. 1, with parts in full. Fig. 3 is a section like Fig. 2 showing the receptacle depressed. Fig. 4: is a perspective of the upper end of the selector.

In the views 5 designates a wooden base which has an opening from top to bottom, oblong in cross section.

Securedto the lower end of the base and subtending the opening thereof is a metallic plate 6 to which is suitably secured the metallic selector member 7. A convenient method of securing said selector is to form it with a foot 7 adapted to be inserted between tongues 6 bent up out of the metallic plate 6, so that the selector shall stand centrally in the opening of the base.

8 designates a block fitting loosely in the opening of the base, said block being provided with a slot 9 in which loosely fits the selector. Surroimding the selector between the block 8 and the plate 6 is a coil spring 10 adapted to hold the block 8 normally elevated, but in the instance shown the selector is provided with a slot 7 engaged at its upper end by a transverse pin 11 to hunt the upward thrust of the block 1f the spring be of suflicient power to so far elevate the block.

Sui-mounting and secured upon the block 8 is a receptacle 12 of glass. The receptacle 1f formed of glass can be secured in a sheet metal holder 13 first secured to the block 8 and then having its side margins bent over the corners of the glass receptacle. The glass receptacle and its metallicholder are made with slots coinciding with the slot of the block. The interior of the receptacle 12 is formed in its upper portion with outwardly sloping sides 12 which blend with inwardly sloping sides 12 in the lower portion of the receptacle, said inwardly sloping sides terminating on lines coinciding with the sides of the slot in the bottom of the receptacle, so that tooth picks or other sticklike devices within the receptacle shall tend to crowd toward the middle of the bottom of the receptacle, and therefore permit the removal of all or practically all the articles from the receptacle by the regular manipulation of the device.

To prevent tooth picks or other devices from lodging in the openings between the sides of the base and the block 8 we provide blocks 14 seated in rabbets 15 cut in the upper longitudinal corners of the block 8 and springs 16 adapted to press said blocks 14 lightly outward against the adjacent sides forming the vertical opening of the base thereby keeping the opening along those lines closed and preventing the ingress of sticks.

The upward and inward taper of the sides of the receptacle advantageously is such as to properly space the tips of the thumb and forefinger when placed upon the two edges of the receptacle to permit the location of the stick between the thumb and forefinger when the receptacle is depressed with reil erence to the selector. This allows the stick to be taken or grasped between the thumb and finger as can be readily understood from Fig. 3.

To facilitate the selection of a stick from the collection in the receptacle the upper end of the selector is grooved as seen at 7 and to facilitate the taking of the stick with the thumb and finger the selector is cut out as seen at 7 (Fig- The operation which can be readily understood from what has already been said is extremely simple and facile in that the use of one hand only is necessary. When the receptacle is depressed and the contents thereby disturbed the sticks naturally return to parallel position with reference to The device isextr'emely sanitary because in proper use the fingers of different indi viduals do not come into contact with more than the one. stick removed.

The device is susceptible of soine changes Without departing from the scope of'the invention as claimed.

What We cl'aimis: p

A device of the kind described comprising,in combination,- a receptacle tocontain aplurality of stick-like articles, aselector to receive and support one of said articles in itsend, said receptacle to slide upon said selector, and a spring for holding said receptacle"n61'*ma1l alieve the'endof the selector a basein which receptacle slides and means yielding with reference to the receptacle between the base and the receptacle to prevent the passage of the articles into spaces between them.

THOMAS; BARIHOLOMEXV. CASSIUS M. BARTHOLOMEW.

Witnesses:

B. GRANT, BENJAMIN FINGKEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eaiehpbi' addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

WashingtonjD. G. 

